Father Creates Real ‘Elf On The Shelf’ Photos With Son

“Day 9: Tonight we left the elf all alone in the house for the first time. It was very nerve racking for me. I was so happy to pull in the driveway and not see my house on fire. The elf wouldn’t stop bragging about beating Godzilla at every game we own.” Credit: Alan Lawerence

PARADISE, UTAH — A father has started an adorable new holiday photography project. He’s dressing up his 4-month-old son in an “Elf on the Shelf’ outfit, taking daily photos and chronicling the photos online.

Alan Lawrence, father of six children, admits his family had never had an “Elf on the Shelf,” but got the idea for the photography project during a recent Christmas party when someone told him his son, Rockwell, looked like an elf.

“…and the idea came to me,” Lawrence remarked.

Though Lawrence and his wife never participated in the popular annual tradition, he’s the first to say that he was always intrigued by the idea. With a spark of inspiration, Lawrence’s wife, Nikki, sewed together the costume and beginning in early December, they began taking one photo each day to post online.

He explains that it is a family event. Everyone comes up with ideas for that day’s photo and then usually ends up taking that day’s picture before they go to bed.

“I usually set up the camera and my wife or one of the kids snaps the photo while I hold Rockwell,” Lawerence describes.

He then uses Photoshop to edit himself out of the photo.

Lawrence has been posting his adorable creations on his blog, Instagram and Facebook pages. He plans to continue taking photos right up until Christmas.